Skipper accused of assaulting crewman

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Kodiak
Type: Assault
On 11/26/09 at approximately 1500 hours a 43-year-old male resident of Kodiak reported to AST that he was assaulted by the skipper of the fishing vessel upon which he was a crewmember. The incident is under investigation.

License fib nets Soldotna fisherman a ticket

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Soldotna
Type: False statement on crewmember license
On 11/28/09 Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted 41-year-old Daniel Roberts, of Soldotna, during a residency investigation. The investigation revealed Roberts had purchased an Alaska resident fishing crewmember license before he qualified for Alaska residency. Roberts was issued a summons for making a false statement of material fact on his 2008 crewmember fishing license. Bail was set at $310.

The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Drunk disturbance, Nov. 19 — Officers responded to the Harborview Inn after receiving a report of a fight in progress, and found that UniSea security had successfully detained two drunken sailors who had been whaling on one another in the hotel. Neither suspect was capable of providing adequate information about what had occurred, though it was clear that at some point pieces of cheesecake were involved. Robbie Osborne Jordan, 21 yoa, and Marcus Torgerson, 22 yoa, both of Washington, were arrested for disorderly conduct.

Trespass, Nov. 19 — Two men who had been engaged in cheesecake combat in their hotel room were issued trespass advisements, per UniSea management.

Liquor law violation, Nov. 21 — Anonymous caller reported a minor female was consorting and drinking with an older man employed on a vessel at Westward Seafoods. Officers searched the boat and contacted the minor's parent, but did not locate either of the parties in question.

Welfare check, Nov. 22 — Officers contacted two drunks who had recently been barred from virtually all hotels in the community, and informed them they were not allowed to sleep in the airport either. One of the drunks readily agreed to leave while the other provided a civics lesson on taxpayer dollars, police salaries and the obligations of cities to provide lodging to drunken, unemployed fishermen.

Bering Sea crabber cited for gear violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bristol Bay
Type: Gear violation
On 11/18/09 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Joshua Edward Songstad, 33, of Arlington, Wash., for commercial red king crab fishing with a pot that did not contain a biodegradable escape mechanism that was at least 18 inches in length on the side panel of his king crab pot. Arraignment is scheduled for 1310 hours on 12/2/09 in the Unalaska District Court.

Troopers issue multiple citations at Dutch Harbor

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Spit Dock, Dutch Harbor
Type: Employ an unlicensed crewmember
On 11/18/09 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers cited Murray W. Gamrath, 48, of Las Cruces, N.M., for employing a crewmember onboard his commercial fishing vessel while the crewmember did not have a 2009 Alaska commercial fishing crewmember license in his possession. Arraignment is scheduled for 1310 hours 12/3/09 in the Unalaska District Court.

Location: Spit Dock, Dutch Harbor
Type: No crewmember license
On 11/18/09 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers cited William J. Fenner, 46, of Edmonds, Wash., for commercial fishing without having a 2009 Alaska commercial fishing crewmember license in his possession. Arraignment is scheduled for 1310 hours 12/3/09 in the Unalaska District Court.

Location: Coastal Dock, Dutch Harbor
Type: No 12-inch ADF&G numbers displayed on vessel
On 11/17/09 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers cited Murray W. Gamrath, 48, of Las Cruces, N.M., for operating a fishing vessel without having his 12-inch Alaska Department of Fish and Game numbers displayed on the vessel. Arraignment is scheduled for 1310 hours 12/2/09 in the Unalaska District Court.

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Fail to affix ADF&G triangle to vessel
On 11/15/09 Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Norman James Lenon, 44, of Kodiak, for failing to permanently affix his Alaska Department of Fish and Game metal triangle plate to his commercial fishing vessel. Arraignment is scheduled for 1310 hours 11/30/09 in the Unalaska District Court.

Craig shrimper nets $1,500 fine for gear violations

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Klawock
Type: Conviction — shrimping violations
On 11/18/09 Ronald Durgan, age 20, of Craig, pled no contest in Craig District Court to the commercial fishing charges of operating shellfish pots with no biodegradable escape mechanisms and failing to attach buoys to both ends of more than five longlined shrimp pots. Durgan was sentenced to a fine of $2,500 with $1,000 suspended.

Sitka Dungeness crabber cited for buoy violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Peril Strait
Type: Improper buoy marking
On 11/13/09 at approximately 1400 hours, Sitka Wildlife Troopers cited Reginald I. Baggen, age 31, of Sitka, for improperly marking Dungeness crab pot buoys. Investigation revealed Baggen was using buoys on his gear that were not identical as required by regulation. Arraignment is set for 12/1/09 in Sitka Court.

Commercial fishermen help search for lost hunters

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Haines
Type: Overdue hunters
On 11/11/09 at 1535 hours, Alaska State Troopers contacted several commercial fishermen and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry M/V LeConte reference two overdue hunters. The hunters were reported to have gone deer hunting in an 18-foot open skiff on Sullivan Island south of Haines and planned to return by 1400 hours. As darkness and high winds increased, Alaska State Troopers began organizing search efforts including the U.S. Coast Guard. At 1711 hours, the hunters contacted their family via cell phone stating they were making their way back in the skiff. Search efforts were suspended until they were called off at 1815 hours when the hunters returned home with no injuries.

Flurry of crew license citations issued in Seward

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Seward
Type: Unsworn falsification
On 11/5/09 Marinss J. Sarach, 32 yoa, of Dutch Harbor, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for making a false statement on a resident commercial crewmember license. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 12/15/09.

Location: Seward
Type: Unsworn falsification
On 11/5/09 Nicholas M. Kozorra, 19 yoa, of Seward, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for making a false statement on a resident commercial crewmember license. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 12/15/09.

Location: Seward
Type: Unsworn falsification
On 11/5/09 Brett A. Mclennan, 23 yoa, of Seward, was cited by
the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for making a false statement on a resident commercial crewmember license. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 12/15/09.

Location: Seward
Type: Unsworn falsification
On 11/5/09 Daniel H. Jones, 47 yoa, of Seward, was cited by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for making a false statement on a resident commercial crewmember license. Arraignment was set in the Seward District Court on 12/15/09.

The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Alarm, Nov. 1 — Officer investigated an alarm aboard a moored vessel. Personnel from the nearby plant responded and silenced the alarm.

Assistance rendered, Nov. 1 — A family member of a crewman recently rescued from a vessel in distress contacted Public Safety requesting information about the where the displaced crew was currently lodged. Public Safety was unable to locate the man’s brother, but passed on information indicating that the crew of the vessel had been spotted the previous day with a film crew.

Fire safety, Nov. 2 — Fire officer responded to a report of black smoke emanating from the area of a Harbor Crown warehouse. The smoke was determined to be from a properly functioning, but filthy, piece of equipment.

Assault, Nov. 3 — Sean Doran, 42 yoa, of Washington, was arrested on one count of assault after officers responded to a report of a disturbance aboard a vessel and found that Doran had struck another in an argument over loaned money.

Possible bogus mayday at Angoon triggers search

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Angoon
Type: Suspicious circumstances — mayday unfounded
On 11/9/2009 at 1630 hours, the Angoon village public safety officer received a report of a single mayday call from an unknown location. Attempts to make contact by VHF with the vessel were unsuccessful. The U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the call and dispatched a helicopter from Sitka to the search the area in and around Angoon. No contact was made. The USCG helicopter will continue a search in the morning. The Angoon VPSO has not received any reports of overdue or missing hunters or boaters from the village.

Anyone who may have additional information pertaining to this case should notify the Alaska State Troopers at (800) 478-0061 or the Coast Guard.

Troopers charge pot fisherman with gear violation

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Bristol Bay
Type: Illegal biodegradable escape mechanism
On Nov. 9, Dutch Harbor Wildlife Troopers issued a citation to Glenn Ethan Casto, 39 years of age, of Snohomish, Wash., for commercial fishing groundfish pots with illegal biodegradable escape mechanisms. Arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 2 at 1310 hours in the Unalaska District Court.

Klawock shrimper cited for overtime fishing

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Prince of Wales
Type: Shrimping in closed season
On 11/06/09 Klawock AWT contacted Timothy Demmert, of Klawock. Investigation revealed that Demmert, a CFEC permit holder, had 50 commercial shrimp pots still fishing after the closure in District 3A. The closure was on Nov. 1 at 1600 hours. Demmert was issued a summons for commercial fishing for shrimp during a closed season. Arraignment is set for the Craig District Court 11/07/09 at 1330 hours.

Credit card fraud reported at Trident in Akutan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Akutan
Type: Fraudulent use of credit card
At approximately 1150 hours on 10-22-09, manager Ken McHugh of Trident Seafoods in Akutan reported that unauthorized charges in the amount of over $3,000 to date had been charged to the credit cards of at least five of the company's employees. A suspect has been identified, and investigation is continuing.

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The Dutch Harbor report

From the local police blotter, as reported by the Unalaska Advertiser:

Domestic disturbance, Oct. 27 — Officers responded to Westward Seafoods regarding an ongoing dispute between a man and woman. Officers determined that no crime had been committed this night but received information indicating the woman may have been assaulted some days earlier. Under investigation.

Harassment, Oct. 29 — A local processing plant employee contacted Public Safety to report an incident of harassment in the workplace. Further investigation revealed that in addition to making numerous unkind and untoward statements, the complaint’s coworker had become physically aggressive and placed her in fear of being assaulted. As a result, Carmelita Orteza was summonsed for assault and disorderly conduct.

Suspicious person, activity, Oct. 30 — A caller reported that "everyone" aboard a local fishing vessel was doing drugs. Officers responded to the vessel, discovering that it had only recently arrived in port and the majority of the crew had gone to sleep. After speaking with the sole alert crewmember aboard, officers found no evidence of illicit activity aboard the vessel.

Liquor law violation, Nov. 1 — A polite, severely inebriated bar patron was advised that he was too intoxicated to remain on licensed premises. The man left without incident.

Liquor law violation, Nov. 1 — A belligerent, severely inebriated bar patron was advised that he was too intoxicated to remain on licensed premises. The man left without incident.

$20,000 purse seine reported stolen at Chignik

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Chignik Bay
Type: Theft
On 11/05/09 Alaska State Troopers based in King Salmon received a report of theft from a watercraft. Alec Douglas Pedersen, age 56, of Kodiak, reported that a purse seine had been stolen from his barge, located near Chignik Bay, sometime during August of 2009. The purse seine is valued at about $20,000. The investigation is ongoing.

Undersized Tanner crab cost skipper $1,500

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Retained undersized Tanner crab
On 8-25-09, James E. Wolkoff, age 54, of Anchorage, pled guilty in the Valdez District Court to the charge of retaining undersized Tanner crab. Wolkoff, who is the skipper and permit holder aboard the F/V Zone Five, was fined $3,000 with $1,500 suspended and placed on two years probation. The charge of unlawful possession of fish was dismissed.

Troopers: Crewman got resident license falsely

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Unalaska
Type: Unsworn falsification
On 10-30-09, Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Maxwell L. Jamison, age 24, of Anchorage, while conducting a crewmember license check onboard the F/V Sea Venture at the Coastal Dock in Dutch Harbor. Investigation revealed that Jamison had obtained a resident commercial crewmember license without first meeting the residency requirements. Jamison was summonsed for unsworn falsification with arraignment scheduled for the Unalaska Court on 11-4-09.

Crewman arrested at Dutch Harbor on warrants

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Dutch Harbor
Type: Warrant arrest
On 10-23-09, Alaska Wildlife Troopers contacted Zachar W. Nye, age 28, of Homer, while conducting a crewmember license check onboard the F/V Kona-Kai at Icicle Seafoods' floating processor plant in Dutch Harbor. Investigation revealed that Nye had two outstanding warrants for his arrest: an AST warrant for furnishing alcohol to a minor, and a Kodiak PD warrant for failure to appear on the original charge of driving while license suspended. Nye was arrested by troopers and transported to the Unalaska Jail on $1,750 bail.

Sleep costs Copper River fisherman his net

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Cordova — Copper River Flats
Type: Gillnet operations violation
On 08-18-09, at approximately 1300 hours, David J. Totemoff Jr., age 42, of Anchorage, contacted Alaska Wildlife Troopers from Cordova Post to report that he had lost his drift gillnet while fishing in the Copper River Flats area. Investigation revealed that Totemoff had set his net and went to sleep for approximately 7 hours. When he awoke he discovered that his net had separated from his vessel and was missing. Totemoff was charged for not personally supervising the immediate operation of his gillnet and was summoned to appear in Cordova district court for arraignment on 11-25-09.